SADC Leaders Gather for Transfrontier Conservation Areas Summit

Online Reporter Herald  

May 23, 2025

Wallace Ruzvidzo

Herald Reporter

SADC Chairman President Mnangagwa is today expected to lead the highly anticipated Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held at the Harare International Conference Centre.

The regional bloc’s senior officials have been meeting in Harare since Monday.

The primary goals of the summit are to strengthen political commitment to the TFCA Programme, promote investments in conservation areas and enhance cross-sectoral integration for sustainable development.

This year’s summit theme, “Transfrontier Conservation Areas — 25 Years of Cooperation for Regional Integration and Sustainable Development”, reflects a quarter-century of collaboration in this vital area.

SADC Executive Secretary, Mr Elias Magosi, yesterday described the TFCAs as true success stories that embody the region’s commitment to sustainable conservation.

“From covering 25 500 square kilometres in 1999 to now over 1 million square kilometres, the TFCAs have become one of the largest conservation areas on the African continent,” he noted, highlighting the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (Kaza), which alone spans over 520 square kilometres.

This extensive network illustrates the profound impact of regional collaboration in preserving shared natural resources and reflects the collective aspiration for prosperity among member states.

To date, the TFCA model has yielded significant results for biodiversity conservation.

Mr Magosi highlighted the success in stabilising the population of the critically endangered African black rhino, which was once on the brink of extinction.

“The population has nearly tripled, rising from just over 2 495 to approximately 6 400 today,” he reported, acknowledging that while the numbers remain small, this progress is commendable considering the starting point.

As the summit unfolds, the focus will remain on enhancing cooperation and commitment to conservation, ensuring that the rich biodiversity of Southern Africa is preserved for future generations.

The discussions and resolutions from this gathering are expected to pave the way for further advancements in sustainable development and regional integration, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in addressing ecological challenges.